Wearing seat-belt might have saved life of dumper driver

It has been reported that Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) in Scotland has found that a workman crushed to death when a dumper truck overturned might have been saved if he was wearing a seat belt. Marcel Daisley, aged 37, died in the accident at a building site where a new drinks company bottling hall was being built in August 2010.

Mr Daisley from Falkirk was driving the dumper truck when it overturned. A determination published by Sheriff AG McCulloch concluded that the cause of death was crushing chest injuries, blunt force trauma and entrapment beneath the dumper truck.

Barriers may have helped avoid incident

The deceased worked for Ground Developments Ltd and was reversing the 9 tonne dumper truck over the edge of a 1.8m excavated area when he was thrown from his seat on to the ground crushed by the roll over protection system attached to the vehicle. The sheriff concluded that the death might have been avoided by:

Wearing of the seat belt fitted to the dumper truck

Keeping of a proper look-out by Mr Daisley while reversing and

Restriction to a minimum of any distance travelled in reverse.

It also concluded that the accident might have been avoided if barriers been placed in a continuous line about two metres parallel to the edges of the excavation, whereby Mr Daisley may have realised sooner that he was close to the edge and taken action to prevent the fall into the excavated area.

The determination stated:

“The reason for the deceased driving as he did will remain unknown. The dumper truck was examined in detail shortly after the accident and no defects were found.

Two witnesses saw the dumper as it went over the edge. It was travelling more or less directly towards (the site manager) who spoke of it seeming to veer to its right as it came over the edge and down.

Dumper truck training confirmed that reversing was to be kept to a minimum, just sufficiently far so as to be able to move forwards. It also confirmed the importance of staying away from the edges of excavations and of keeping a good look-out.

There was sufficient room between the screener and the spoil pile for dumpers to work, without having to encroach within 6m of the edge. The edge was clearly visible and obvious even without barriers. The most obvious precaution which could have avoided death was the wearing of the fitted seat belt by the deceased.”